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Hear five tunes spanning the saxophonist's career, from '60s mysticism to modern spirituals.

Ninety years ago, one of the greatest bandleaders and drummers in jazz was born in Pittsburgh, Penn. That man was Art Blakey. For more than 30 years, he led The Jazz Messengers, a band which became a sort of graduate school and springboard for some of the greatest jazz players of all time.

Rickly's first book is a solid and promising literary debut. He's a natural, albeit a germinal one. He is best known as a singer and songwriter of the rock band Thursday.

From the sultry Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa song "One Kiss" to Korean boy band BTS's "Fake Love, NPR listeners share the songs they'll have on repeat this summer.

The tri-city free-jazz band expands and distorts the shape of melody, noise and heart-thumping rhythm.

The East Village Opera Company is a New York City musical group that mixes opera with rock. The group is made up of a five-piece band, a string quartet and two vocalists. Barrett Golding reports on how the group finds inspiration in music from another era.

Commentator John Moe takes on the word "friend," a big word with a shifting definition. His band, Chicken Starship, has a MySpace page. And among the people listed as their friends are Elvis Costello, The Dixie Chicks, and Lucinda Williams. John knows that They Might Be Giants won't drive him to the airport -- but their friendship has to count for something.

On Jingle All the Way, Bela Fleck and his band The Flecktones breathe new life into the Christmas canon, approaching classics like "What Child Is This" and "O Come All Ye Faithful" with their distinctive, genre-bending fervor. Hear the session from WXPN.

Rivers Cuomo, the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the rock band Weezer, has released a solo set of at-home demos called Alone and Alone II.

The Boston band Tarbox Ramblers has roots in prewar gospel and blues. The group's latest album takes off from their first record, using the old songs as a jumping-off point for leader Michael Tarbox to write primal gut rock and roll. The CD is called A Fix Back East. Meredith Ochs has a review.